(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Ohio prisoner" means a person who is charged with or convicted of a crime in this state or who is alleged or found to be a delinquent child in this state.

(2) "Out-of-state prisoner" and "private contractor" have the same meanings as in section 9.07 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than nine months after the effective date of this section, the department of rehabilitation and correction, in consultation with the attorney general, the county commissioners association of Ohio, and the buckeye state sheriffs association, shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code regarding the return of Ohio prisoners from outside of this state into this state by a private person or entity pursuant to a contract entered into with a sheriff under authority of division (E) of section 311.29 of the Revised Code or the adult parole authority under authority of division (B) of section 5149.03 of the Revised Code. The rules shall establish all of the following:

(1) Standards that specify required training of officers and employees of the private person or entity that actually engage in the return of the prisoners, including standards related to the length and nature of the training;

(2) Physical standards for vehicles used in the return of the prisoners;

(3) Standards that govern the responsibility of the private person or entity to do one or more of the following:

(a) Provide an adequate policy of liability insurance to cover all injuries, death, or loss to person or property that arise from or is related to its return of the prisoners;

(b) Indemnify and hold harmless the sheriff, the county, and all county officers and employees regarding a contract for the return of prisoners entered into under division (E) of section 311.29 of the Revised Code or the department of rehabilitation and correction and all state officers and employees regarding a contract for the return of prisoners entered into under division (B) of section 5149.03 of the Revised Code;

(c) File a performance bond or other surety to guarantee performance.

(4) Standards requiring the private person or entity to have criminal records checks and pre-employment drug testing performed for officers and employees of the private person or entity that actually engage in the return of the prisoners and to have a random drug-screening policy and be able to document compliance with the policy;

(5) Standards requiring the private person or entity to have twenty-four-hour operations staff to constantly monitor activities in the field and to have on-board, constant communication ability with vehicles in the field;

(6) Standards requiring the officers and employees of the private person or entity that actually engage in the return of the prisoners to be CPR and first-aid certified.

(C) Upon the effective date of the rules adopted under division (B) of this section, in no case shall a private person or entity return Ohio prisoners from outside of this state into this state for a sheriff or for the adult parole authority unless the private person or entity complies with all applicable standards that are contained in the rules.

(D) This section does not apply regarding any out-of-state prisoner who is brought into this state to be housed pursuant to section 9.07 of the Revised Code in a correctional facility in this state that is managed and operated by a private contractor.

Effective Date: 03-15-2001.